Let it Snow
by Phantasmarose
Summary: Summary: Modern. In "I'll be home for Christmas," Erik saved Christine from deportation by marrying her. They have been happy together and now it's two years later. It's Christmas Eve and a snow storm threatens to disrupt their festivities. Will it unravel what they have built?
1. Chapter 1

Let it Snow ©

By Phantasmarose

Dear Readers,

This is a continuation of "I'll be home for Christmas," which was published a few years ago. I thank you for your continued interest in my stories. This Christmas I am offering a FREE copy of Book One from my series Masque by Caridad Martin AKA Phantasmarose at . It is based on my story "Black Despair" published here 2006 and taken down 2013. To download, go to Amazon Free books. It will be available on Amazon FREE starting tomorrow 12/25/16 until 12/28. I wish all my dear fans a very Merry Christmas.

I will be updating "Let it Snow" every two days.

Disclaimer: I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own.

 **Summary:** Modern. In "I'll be home for Christmas," Erik saved Christine from deportation by marrying her. They have been happy together and now it's a year later. It's Christmas Eve and a snow storm threatens to disrupt their festivities. Will it unravel what they have built?

Chapter 1

Erik looked up from the small basement window at his conservatory. The snow was accumulating rapidly. Half of the lower window pane was covered, but he could still see the school's empty parking lot. Christmas was still two days away and it would be a white Christmas as Christine had predicted. He wanted to be home with Christine helping her wrap, cook or doing any of those things never would have done had he still been a single man. All he had to do was find the missing file and as soon as his friend Raoul picked him up, he could hurry back to his wife. His secretary, Mrs. Zhan insisted that from Thanksgiving to Christmas, the school play Christmas music everywhere except in the classrooms. Erik didn't care for most of the Christmas songs, but since Christine had entered his life he could tolerate the schmaltzy holiday tunes. Yesterday morning, Mrs. Zhan, had wished Erik and the staff a merry Christmas and flown off to Chicago. She had forgotten to turn the system off. When the loop began to play for a second time, he attempted to put an end to it. The attempt was not successful.

 _Let it snow_ was just ending and sure enough, the first strains of _Let it Snow_ began to play ― again. Thanks to his interference, only one song remained on the loop. Erik gritted his teeth. _The weather outside is frightful…_ How ill-timed of Dean Martin, to remind him ― yet again ― of the unceasing snowfall on this particular day, that a blizzard was bearing down on the town. Erik wouldn't have cared how much it snowed, had he been home with Christine. He wasn't, and the song was beginning to strain his nerves.

The day before his most talented and admittedly, favorite student, Maritza, had phoned him from Paris. There was some issue over her paperwork and if it was not resolved immediately she would not be registered for that semester. He could not let her miss out on a scholarship to the Conservatoire de Paris ― his Alma matter. He would find and fax her all the papers she needed, so that as soon as the holidays were over she could register, even if tonight was Christmas Eve. Erik brought down two more boxes and begun going through them systematically. He needed to be finished before Raoul arrived to drive him home.

Erik felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. He gritted his teeth and answered quickly before the annoying sounds that passed for music on most cell phones began to play. Christine had insisted he have different music for all his contacts. It made no difference, because he only remembered two, Christine's and Raoul's.

"Raoul?" asked Erik.

"Erik, why are you still there?" Christine's sweet voice came through clearly. Maybe he didn't remember any of the tunes. The sound of her voice immediately put him in a good mood.

"I am still looking for Maritza's admission file."

"Everything should be on the computer."

"I retrieved what I could from the computer, but the form she needs is in her file."

"All right. Mrs. Williams is here and wants to know if you prefer that she bake an apple pie or cherry pie?"

"I prefer neither and _you_ know that!"

"Those are the options she's giving you Erik."

"Whatever pie she bakes she will smother it in cinnamon and it will have only that flavor. Awful."

His good mood slid away.

"I'll put her on."

"No!"

"I heard you Erik Boneville. The cinnamon is good for those old bones of yours." she yelled into the phone. Erik held his cell phone away from his ear.

"Cinnamon irritates my stomach."

"Remember last week, I told you I could hear that bad knee of yours creaking when you were coming up the stairs."

He remembered. Erik capitulated quickly. He did not want Mrs. Williams or anyone mentioning his bad knee and reminding Christine of his ageing body. "I'll be happy to have your cherry pie."

"I only have apples," Mrs. Williams said.

His pique grew.

"Then why did you ask if I wanted a cherry pie? Never mind. I'll eat your cinnamon pie and you can flavor it with any fruit of your choosing."

"I should make you a lemon pie to match your personality," Mrs. Williams yelled into the phone. "Christine, your husband is in an ill mood again, I just wanted to bake him a nice pie to help him with his knee problems. And now his accusing me of upsetting his stomach."

"Erik! What did you say to her? You hurt her feelings," Christine reprimanded him.

"The woman has no feelings to be hurt. She is hamming it up for you."

"She is not baking ham. She is baking you a pie."

Erik bit his tongue. In the last year Christine's English had improved tremendously. But every once in a while…

"I know my dear," he said.

"You will have to make it up to her when you come home,"

"I will my dear."

Christine sighed and he thought of the wonderful sounds she made even without speaking. Just before she fell asleep she always bore into his chest and when he placed his arms around her she sighed and fell into a deep slumber. He watched her for a while, then slept his usual three hours and got up to work on his music. "

"Whatever she bakes, you will have to eat it and say you enjoyed it."

"I have a sensitive stomach which you are willing to sacrifice to Mrs. Williams' feelings, but I will do as you ask," he groused.

"Don't be a baby. If you eat the pie, I will rub your tummy tonight." She giggled.

Christine's promise of physical contact made him anxious to go home. If he was lucky he would get that tummy rub as soon as he got home. She laughed on the phone. _The little minx. She knows exactly what her words just did to me._ Joy was his once again.

"Raoul just arrived here with a big turkey," she told him.

"Why would he stop there first? He's supposed to pick me up. Never mind. Just give me another 30 minutes. I'm going through the last few boxes. It has to be there. Remind him to pick me up."

"No, I'm sending him out to get you right now. The roads are getting really bad."

"Tell him to make sure he honks when he gets here. I'm in the basement."

"I will. Love you." Every time she said those words to him, it coated his world with sunshine.

"I love you too. My dear."

Erik looked out the window, the lower pane was completely covered and snow was quickly working its way up the second pane. The parking lot looked like a thick duvet. Snow was accumulating faster than the meteorologist had predicted. He dug through the files faster. As soon as Raoul arrived, he needed to be ready to leave. His own car was still at the mechanics. _Since when did I become so dependent on cars?_ Once Christine came into his life he couldn't wait to get home. The only times he took a long walk was in her company.

There it was, Maritza's file. Erik pulled it out and began to repack the boxes, when the phone vibrated again.

"Erik, Raoul's battery is dead. He's using that boost you gave him for the car."

"You mean the jump-starter."

"Raoul said he was going to give himself a boost not a jump."

"Um… never mind. Well, I'm done here."

"Good darling, just wait for him near the front door."

"I'm walking up now…" The lights flickered once, twice and the building went dark except for the blue emergency light by the exit… which gave no light at all. The only worthwhile light came from the moon, coming through his office window. Erik swallowed hard. His instincts screamed: _danger!_ He controlled his hands from searching for a weapon. "There is no war. I am not in danger," he said aloud to himself. He could not help his accelerating heartbeat.

"Erik? Erik? Can you hear me?" Her voice broke through the fog beginning to envelope his mind.

"Christine? The lights went out here."

"They are out here too. Wait… Raoul says he'll take me with him so I won't stay in the dark by myself."

"No, Christine, not a good idea. The roads are treacherous…hello? Hello?" The cell towers must have gone down as well.

He didn't want Christine out on the roads tonight. Raoul should know that. Even in the dark she would be safer at home. For now, he would have to give it time and wait for their arrival. Then he would have a talk to his friend, about his poor decision making skills. Christine's safety came first ― ALWAYS.

Let it Snow 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin


	2. Chapter 2

**Let it Snow** ©

By Phantasmarose

Dear Readers,

This is a continuation of "I'll be home for Christmas," which was published a few years ago. I thank you for your continued interest in my stories. This Christmas season I am offering a **FREE** copy of Book One from my series  Masque by Caridad Martin AKA Phantasmarose at . It is based on my story "Black Despair" published here 2006 and taken down 2013. To download, go to Amazon **Free books.** There is nothing to purchase. Today 12/ 28/ 16, is the last day of this offer. I wish all my dear readers a very enjoyable holiday season.

I will be updating "Let it Snow" every 2 to 3 days.

Disclaimer: I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own. Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! The lyrics to this song were written by Sammy Cahn and the music composed by Jule Styne on July 1945 in Hollywood, California. Let it snow! interpreted by Dean Martin (Rat-pack) in 1959. Lyrics from the song may be used throughout the story.

 **Summary:** Modern. In "I'll be home for Christmas," Erik saved Christine from deportation by marrying her. They have been happy together and now it's a year later. It's Christmas Eve and a snow storm threatens to disrupt their festivities. Will it unravel what they have built?

Chapter 2

The apartment was totally in the dark. Christine shone her flashlight toward the door. Raoul's frame blocked the door frame. His blue parka made him look massive. Mrs. Williams always said he was too handsome for his own good. Christine agreed. His good looks, unfortunately for him, didn't bring him any automatic happiness. All the girls wanted him for his looks and few had bothered getting to know him except for Sofia, his current girlfriend. Christine liked the girl, but wondered if Sofia could keep his interest. She had a lovely personality, but carried a few extra pounds around her waist. Raoul was at fault that he was thirty and still single. He was looking for a homey girl in a model's body. Christine shrugged. Erik's friend could solve his own problems. She was glad to have married a mature man who knew his own mind and had excellent taste in women ― her lips curled at that thought. She was willing to listen to Raoul's shallow nonsense about girls, so long as he only came over every few weeks.

"I started the car and left it running, so hurry up," Raoul poked his blond head through the cracked door.

"Raoul? I'm going to check on Mrs. Williams before we leave. I asked her to come with us, but she won't budge. Maybe I should stay with her? "

"No, no, no. How do you think Erik would like it if I left you alone in the dark with the heater out and in the company of an old woman? You know Erik. I know Erik! He will want to see you immediately," he snickered.

"Don't laugh at him. You know he means well."

"I know he does, but he actually makes you stretch your arms out and checks you front and back whenever something untoward happens."

She covered her smile. "You exaggerate!"

"Put on extra warm clothing. Grab your hat, gloves and the over-mittens he bought you for cold days. Don't forget to take a scarf. I don't want my head handed to me when we get there," Raoul told her.

"I'm wearing my Swedish coat."

"Good. That's step one," Raoul said.

She loved the fact that her well-being was so important to her husband. Christine was less obvious, but she too was guilty of making sure Erik took care of himself. In a few minutes, she would leave with Raoul, not because she was afraid of being left in the dark, but because she knew Erik did not react well to the dark and she wanted to be close to him in case the black-out had upset him.

-o-

There was one positive thing about the black-out. The music had stopped.

 _It doesn't show signs of stopping...  
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow._

Too late, the song had been driven into his head, but at least his ears rested. The weather continued to obey the song in his head. Snow fell as if it was competing for a record. Erik stayed near the front doors. An hour passed and there was no sign of Raoul. He heard a noise outside and rushed to open the door. Instead of Raoul rushing in half frozen, a stray Tabby shot past him and entered the school. It looked back at him from a distance, then gave him its back and took its time before deciding which hallway to meander down.

"Clever! Enjoy your stay tonight. I'll be putting you out tomorrow."

They were taking too long. He had tried calling Christine so many times his battery had run down. What if the car had broken down and Christine was in danger of freezing? The image chilled him and he quickly pulled his coat on, hat and gloves. He went to his desk to change into his winter outdoor mask which was thicker than what he usually wore.

Despite his face, Erik considered himself blessed. His marriage to Christine had been going better than he could have hoped for or imagined. Yet, he could not help keeping part of his past from her. Christine knew only the most tangential details about his childhood and growing up with a facial disfigurement. As a child, he would have never thought that his face could get uglier than what he had been given at birth ― he had been wrong. Nor did she know, but the slightest minutiae about his participation with the Rangers in Desert Storm, his capture and subsequent torture. He had never shared details, about that. Even though they had been intimate in every way, he had never let her see him unmasked. No, there was no need to upset her. He had nearly convinced himself that that was the reason for his secrecy.

He pulled off the thinner mask and patted his face dry with a tissue. Against his own will, he ran his fingers down his cheeks. The damaged skin felt like a slick layers of lava flow under his fingers. The acid his torturers had used had eaten away so much of his skin that the layer that was left was extremely thin. By the time he had been released, after weeks of capture, it was too late to reconstruct his damaged skin. The lack of natural fat under the damaged skin, made him suffer severely in cold weather. Despite that, he loved winter. Wearing a mask made sense in winter. Almost no one stared at him in winter. It was during the sweltering days of summer, that he got the most stares. Erik took the extra scarf Christine made him keep in his desk and wrapped it over the mask. She had made it for him last winter. It was the ugliest item he owned. Over a hundred knitted snowmen with toothy smiles, used their brown yarn stick arms to somersault all over the scarf. She was a fast knitter, but it took her over two weeks to complete the little acrobatic snowmen. Erik smiled. Erik tucked away the file into his coat and headed out the door. If he could see himself in a mirror he was sure he looked like the invisible man. Erik grabbed his spare battery charger. The unit was heavy, but Raoul would need it.

Erik made use of his military skills once more and standing outside his school, surrounded by an all-white panorama, he oriented himself despite the gray skies. The winds swirled the snow about him. Despite all his precautions a gust of wind found a weakness in his defense and made its way to his skin, chilling him. Why couldn't Raoul have been more like his father and been born with a natural amount of common sense. He walked in the direction of the road Raoul would take to get to him. He felt guilty knowing full well he was the closest to a family that Raoul had left. _Sorry Joe, you know I'll keep my promise of doing my best for the boy._

-o-

"Just try again Raoul," Christine pleaded.

The car continued to make the same sick hacking sounds every time Raoul turned the ignition key.

"It's not catching and my booster is done for. Damn this car. I'm selling it. Piece of crap."

"I'm starting to get really cold," she said in a tiny voice. "Can't we walk back home?"

"We are more than three miles away from your building and over seven miles from Erik's school."

 _I'm screwed. Small wonder Erik calls me immature._

"I'm so sorry Christine. Heater can't work if the battery is out." What was he thinking of to have put his father's best friend's wife in such a precarious situation.

 _I wish I had but couldn't just leave her in a cold, dark building. We should have stayed with Mrs. Williams, all three of us. Erik would have been fine at his school._ An image of Erik sitting in front of a garbage can burning music sheets came to mind. _Lord, if Christine so much as catches a cold Erik will not forgive me._

He dared not think of the implications of hypothermia. The tip of her nose looked white. _Oh crap!_

"Take off your gloves."

"What? No, I'm cold"

He took her hand and pealed her gloves off. She didn't fight him.

 _Not good_.

Her finger were stiff, cold and white. Stage one of frost bite, he remembered his father's teachings.

Raoul reached for the spare blanket he kept in the back for extracurricular activities, but would serve him for this too. The front and back solar shields would also serve his purpose. Raoul pulled out a small bottle of brandy from the glove compartment and a couple of small hand warmer packets for times such as this. He gathered all his supplies and placed them on the back seat. Being a Ranger's son had its advantages.

"I know you don't have the highest opinion of my intellect, but you have to listen to me now and do exactly what I say."

She nodded weakly and breathed on her numbing fingers.

It was almost dawn. Erik could see pinkness developing on the clouds on the horizon. How many miles had he walked now? He cleared a sign of snow. Four more miles and he would be home. The snow had stopped hours ago after dumping two feet of snow on their town ―two and a half feet after the wind drifts had done their work. He willed his feet to continue trudging through the snow. Maybe Raoul and Christine hadn't left the apartment building at all. Even better, maybe, common sense had reared its head and Raoul had paid attention and not taken Christine into the storm with him.

-o-

After another mile Erik turned a corner and just down the street he recognized Raoul's Wrangler. Erik doubled his efforts through the snow. Raoul's crappy car had left him stranded. If Christine was in there she better be fine or Raoul would answer to him.

When he reached the Jeep, the windows were fogged. Erik cleared a patch and looked in. His heart nearly stopped. He jumped back and reorganized his thoughts. _No. My eyes are half frozen from the cold._ He bent down again and looked through the patch the fog was already reclaiming. Christine was cocooned in in Raoul's arms; her head on his chest, his arms made a loose circle around her. Erik held on to the car for balance making it rock slightly. Christine's arm snaked up to Raoul's neck and her head tilted upward. She found his neck and nuzzled.

 _How long had the affair been going on?_ This was the reason why Raoul went to the house before picking him up. Knowing he was at the school they could rump around his home safely. Perhaps they had even used his bed. While he waited for Raoul to pick him, up his best friend's boy had enjoyed his wife at leisure. He wanted to kill them both. The sense of betrayal was overwhelming and revenge was thick in his blood. The image of Christine's delicate body hurt stopped his train of thought. The mere thought of hurting her was unimaginable. He did not really relish the thought of Raoul screaming in agony either.

Her residency in the US was still conditional pending a last interview in a few months. She still needed him, needed to remain married to him. Once she got her permanent green card Christine could leave the marriage ― leave him. There would be no incentive for her to stay with a deformed man. If Raoul and Christine knew he had seen them, they would no longer have a need to hide, to spare him ― to fake love for him. Better for him to feign ignorance of the affair, keep her however he could, while he could. It had been too much to expect her never to want a normal man… to doom her to be a monster's lover for all time. Erik could not bear to lose her. A few months. He still had a few months of life left. Keep it together Erik. _She's given me more that she had to._ _She's cuddled with me, made love with me, as if she enjoyed it._ How long ago did she fall for Raoul's charm? From the beginning? Erik knew Raoul had wanted her on first sight. When did they first touch? Was Raoul the reason why Christine rejected her former protector's help? Brent had been handsome, but a street mutt compared to Raoul.

He back traced his steps and stood in a doorway out of sight, to wait until the sun's rays woke them up naturally. 6:50, the car tittered. _They're awake._ The foggy windows prevented him from seeing into the car. Erik imagined their first morning kiss and wished it were his lips she was kissing, his unmasked face, that she held tenderly in her two hands. His gut wrenched and twisted.

 _If I can hold on and not die, I can have her back, regardless of where she would prefer to be. For now, I will keep her in my home, in my bed._

"Let it Snow" 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin

Please **review** , it feeds the muse!


	3. Chapter 3

Let it Snow ©

By Phantasmarose

Disclaimer: I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own.

Chapter 3

Soft rays of light tickled her closed eyelids. Christine felt safe and warm, but something was wrong, she was half sitting up instead of lying down on her bed and her mattress was hard and lumpy and sitting up with her. The smell of their room also, was different. Wafts of day old cologne surrounded her. Erik never wore cologne to bed. Christine struggled out of her slumber and opened her eyes. Immediately, she realized that she was lying on Raoul's chest and surrounded by his arms.

Last night, Raoul had wrapped himself in a sun reflector, he had then placed a second one around her. Once they were surrounded by the reflectors, he had opened a small packet full of chemicals that gave off delicious heat. Raoul had massaged and warmed her cold fingers and then shared his body heat with her by wrapping her in his arms. He had been the perfect gentleman. She listened for what felt like hours to his diatribe about how he had been cheated out of a career as a football player. They even shared nips of Brandy. Christine listened and nodded occasionally. She prayed that Erik was safe at the school and when Raoul's words became a hum, fell asleep on his hot chest — the snow and cold, forgotten.

Christine looked up at Raoul. His head was thrown back, snores freely escaped his open mouth. If she weren't grateful to him for keeping her safe last night she would shot a video with her phone and placed it on U-tube. The perfectly handsome Raoul de Chagny snoring his head off! She laughed to herself, checked her phone and noticed Erik's calls. Using two fingers she poked Raoul's sides. He jumped.

"Hey, hey what's with the aggression?" Raoul yawned and unkinked his back with a slow stretch. He rolled his shoulder and stretched both arms ― shaking them and the car vigorously. "Got the blood flow going again."

"The phones are back and Erik's been calling us," she told him. Christine scooted under his stretching arms, so she wouldn't get hit by an errant elbow.

"Where are my boots?" Raoul asked.

"You left them in the front."

"Okay. Here's me making a dive for the front seat." Raoul whooped loudly and dove head first into the front seat. The Jeep shook violently. Christine put her hand on the window to steady herself. His foot missed her face.

"You almost hit my eye with your foot," she told him. How would he have explained her black eye to Erik? Raoul paled. Christine couldn't imagine waking up to this whirlwind every day. She dialed Erik's number.

There was a loud sound and then the car rocked and swayed as if it would turn over. Erik looked away biting the sides of his cheeks, until he felt blood fill his mouth. He could see Christine's hand pressing against the window. Erik tried not to imagine what Raoul and Christine were doing. Images came to him unbidden. _I can't just let it happen, not in front of me._ Was this the first time they made love in a car? Had they met on other occasion to satisfy their needs? Erik tried to recall if Raoul had driven Christine anywhere alone. His young friend had offered his assistance several times and Christine had accepted with Erik's approval. He had even thanked Raoul himself. Erik hadn't thought anything of it at the time. He nearly walked away unable to continue watching their rendezvous. Just before he turned away, Raoul emerged from the front seat. Erik pulled back until he heard the younger man open the hood of the car. Erik came out of his hiding place and approached the car at an angle that kept him hidden from Christine's view. If he killed Raoul, Christine wouldn't even know he had been there.

Raoul's eyes went agog when he perceived Erik by his side him. "Whoa! Erik."

"Did you remembered my rule?" Erik asked in a low voice.

"Christine always comes first," Raoul shot out nervously. "I followed the rule. Look in the car and you will know I did a good job of taking care of her needs."

"As I imagined you would." Erik peered at Raoul, who still looked nervous. A strange sounding laugh escaped the young man. Was he thinking of his words. How the phrase could be construed. Erik searched Raoul's face for malice. He found none. _He does not wish me ill. Perhaps it is simply a passion they can't help. A weakness._

"Erik! She's fine. I took care of her, kept her safe. She's just fine,"

Erik snuck a peek through the bottom of the hood and noticed Christine's tousled hair. Her cheeks were rosy. She looked healthy and… sated. Raoul had indeed done a good job. Erik's eyes blurred with tears at the betrayal from the two people he loved most.

"What are you waiting for? Let her know you're here," Raoul insisted.

 _I would prefer not to taste you on her lips!_ The thought made him feel ill again.

"Did she drink water this morning?"

"Um… no… I forgot that. I have some in the back."

"Give her a bottle and let her compose herself."

"What does it matter? You guys are super married anyway,' Raoul said as he rushed to the back of the car.

Erik watched Christine accept the bottle from Raoul. He made no signal to her. She drank from her bottle avidly. She combed her hair next, put on lipstick and popped a piece of gum in her mouth. She looked impatient.

"She was thirsty and you didn't notice," he said to Raoul tonelessly. "You did not see to _all_ her needs."

Raoul looked crestfallen. "Crap. Sorry."

Erik went around the hood and before he could reach her door Christine jumped out of the vehicle and clung to him. Snaking her arms around his neck and kissing him.

 _I could live on leftovers like these. I had less before I met her._

"Erik, Erik, you're all right. I was so worried about you. How did you get here?"

Erik handed the battery charger to Raoul. The younger man, connected the cables and the old Wrangler roared to life.

"I got it. We're going home," Raoul boasted.

"I feel beat up. Barely slept. Up all night keeping her safe," Raoul joked from the front seat.

Erik sat on the back with Christine, barely listening to Raoul's account of how deep the snow had become and how his driving mastery had allowed him to steer the car after the battery died. She held his hand.

"If you hadn't thought to bring the booster with you we would still be back there," she whispered to him.

"Um… yeah, thanks Erik," Raoul gazed at him through the rear view mirror.

"Keep your eyes on the road!"

The images of Raoul and Christine in intimacy, were so strong in his head that he wanted to jump out of the car and trudge through the snow and be on his own.

"Are you alright Erik?" Raoul asked

"Yes, I'm tired too. I walked for hours."

"My darling, of course. You must be exhausted. Walking through a blizzard carrying that heavy thing. When we get home I'll make you tea and put you to bed with a hot water bottle, while Raoul and I finish getting our meal together."

"That's a good idea. I do need the rest." _Foolish to have said I was tired._ Christine was using his own words against him to get more time alone with Raoul. They could make love in the kitchen while he supposedly slept in their bed with a hot water bottle. Let them think he had swallowed their lies. He needed time to strategize a winning hand.

Let it Snow 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin


	4. Chapter 4

Let it Snow

Let it Snow ©

By Phantasmaros

This is a continuation of "I'll be home for Christmas," which was published a few years ago. I thank you for your continued interest in my stories. My five book series Masque by Caridad Martin AKA Phantasmarose at . It is based on my story "Black Despair" published here 2006 and taken down 2013. If you are interested it is available on Amazon. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own. Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! The lyrics to this song were written by Sammy Cahn and the music composed by Jule Styne on July 1945 in Hollywood, California. Let it snow! was sung by Dean Martin (Rat pack) in 1959. Lyrics from the song may be used throughout the story.

 **Summary:** Modern. In "I'll be home for Christmas," Erik saved Christine from deportation by marrying her. They have been happy together and now it's a year later. It's Christmas Eve and a snow storm threatens to disrupt their festivities. Will it unravel what they have built?

Chapter 4

December 24th

Their laughter flowed from the kitchen to the bedroom. Young, beautiful people in love. _If he can make her laugh and she's happy with him_ d _o I have the right to keep her away from the man she truly loves?_

Christine laughed at every inane thing Raoul said.

Erik wondered if Raoul took a peek toward the bedroom door every time he stole a kiss from Christine. Those _kisses belong to me, damn it!_

It had been at least ten minutes since he heard their voices. They couldn't just be kissing. Erik cringed thinking about what else they might be doing. He had to look ― had to know.

Erik tiptoed out of their bedroom and stopped short when he discovered Raoul sitting on his own on the sofa, talking quietly into his phone. Christine whispered from the kitchen.

"Raoul, I'm ready."

Raoul finished his conversation quickly and sauntered over to the kitchen. Again, the couple was out of his sight. Erik crept across the living room and made his way, toward the kitchen door, keeping just out of sight.

"I can't wait any longer. Get on with it," Christine said.

Raoul grunted.

It was bad enough what he was imagining. Erik changed his mind, he did not want to see it or hear it. If he could keep himself in check and not let them know that he knew about their affair. Maybe their passion would burn out, Erik returned to the bedroom and climbed into their bed. Again their laughter wafted into the bedroom. He covered his head. I thought she was happy with me. How could I have been so wrong?

He heard Mrs. William's strident voice call out. For the first time since he had known the woman, he appreciated her penchant for coming in uninvited. Her presence would interrupt the lovemaking in the kitchen. He hoped that what she saw not too raw for the old woman.

"The door is open again. This is very dangerous."

 _Again! So she's caught them before?_

"Please, don't let Erik know."

"I have to tell him. Erik, Erik!" the old woman called to him. "Erik you have to see this."

Erik didn't answer. He didn't want an eye witness that would make it impossible for him to continue his charade of faking ignorance.

"You left your door open."

"But Mrs. Williams, I left the door cracked to let the heat out. The oven is going to be on for the next three hours. I can't take the heat."

"Alright, I won't tell Erik this time. Just finish what you were doing. I'll sit out here for a while."

"Alright Mrs. Williams, we'll be as fast as we can and be done by the time Erik wakes up. The poor dear should be rested by then."

"Go on Raoul don't stop on account of me. My late husband used to do it just like that too," Mrs. Williams said.

"I should do this for a living," Raoul crowed, sounding breathless.

"Look at his hands fly," Mrs. Williams commented.

(Lemon Merengue.)

What kind of depraved people were these? He thought he knew Christine and Raoul, obviously not. Now, even Mrs. Williams, whom he had considered a paragon of high morals was willing to go along with their exhibitionism.

"Erik doesn't like to do this," Christine whined.

Erik couldn't believe Christine was complaining to Mrs. Williams about their sex life. "That's a lie." Erik growled. _I love being with you._ Her words stabbed his heart. _All you had to do was say if you wanted something different._ Erik punched the pillows, trying to control his anger. _You didn't have to cheat._

Raoul laughed. "I could do this all day."

"You're almost there Raoul. Come on, you got it," Christine encouraged him.

They probably thought him an old simpleton. Erik would never guess. Erik doesn't hear, Erik doesn't see. But, Erik had seen his Christine nuzzling Raoul, begging for his attention. From the subsequent movements of the car, Raoul had answered her demands. Erik wished he could erase the vision of her lips lovingly touching Raoul's neck.

"I'm the king," Raoul roared and whooped. Both women laughed.

"Sh. You'll wake up Erik," Mrs. Williams shushed him.

"You're a pro Raoul. Maybe I'll crown you later, if you do this one other little thing for me," Christine said.

Erik wasn't sure he could continue faking not to know or forgive Christine's flagrant her infidelity. Who was this woman he had called wife for two years? When had Christine become an insatiable hussy? Soon he would have to decide if he could live life as a blind and deaf cuckold or keep his dignity and live without her. Erik wasn't sure which would destroy him faster.

-o-

He heard Christine's steps as she approached the bedroom and dove under the covers. Maybe she would leave him alone and go back to her new sick life by Raoul's side if she thought he was still asleep. "Erik doesn't like to do it." He wanted to grab her, toss her on the bed and make wild love to her, until she begged him to stop ― even then, he would continue until he had satisfied himself with no care for her well-being. _Let her write down her list of complaints about his prowess as a lover._ He would make a mattress of the paper and start on her again. The thought did not please him.

Erik felt Christine's arm snake around him. "Wake up sleepy head." She cuddled next to him. _A pity hug for an old man. He could never hurt her._

"I missed you. First night since we've been married that we sleep apart," she whispered and kissed the shell of his ear. His body, reacted, shaming him for its lack of self-regard.

"That's because you slept…" he wanted to say with someone else. "…in that uncomfortable car."

"I'm never riding with Raoul again. That car nearly jostled me apart."

"Are you sure it was the car?" He asked daringly. Her eyes met his and held his gaze. She smiled sweetly into his eyes.

"Yes," she answered, her eyes as clear and innocent as ever. Christine had missed his innuendo. She gave Erik a peck on the lips. "Come on, we have a meal to finish cooking and we always make the Swedish custard together."

He allowed her to pull him up and followed her to the kitchen. Raoul was standing in a corner, bent over muttering into his phone.

"I'll take our picture by the Christmas tree and send it to you," Raoul said into the phone and hung up.

"I won't take a picture," Erik said aloud.

"Ah, come on Erik. Just the three of us?" Raoul insisted.

He didn't answer and busied himself collecting the materials they would need for the custard.

"Please Erik. It's really important. Raoul pleaded.

"Don't insist Raoul," Christine told the younger man.

"Then you and me. Come on Christine. I'm trying to convince Sofia to come."

"All right," she said.

The two returned to the living room. Erik stood at the door watching them. Raoul put an arm around Christine, pulled a face and extended a long arm with his phone.

"There we go." Raoul tapped the screen on his phone. Christine walked away looking peeved. Was she jealous because Raoul wanted Sofia to come? Or was Sofia a cover for their affair?

"Come on Erik. Let's get this custard going. And no more photos Raoul."

She pulled on Erik's arm and marched him back to the kitchen. They began to crack eggs for the custard. She gave him a slow open smile.

-o-

Sofia stood at the door and took in the other guests. Her eyes fell on Raoul and a slow smile spread on her face. Erik and Christine had seen the couple in the distance at the mall. Christine actually got to meet Sofia inside one of the shops while Erik had left to buy her a water bottle. She had expressed surprise that Raoul was holding her hand and looked interested in the girl because to her she looked chunky. He had not thought about her again until now. Tonight, Sofia wore a deep burgundy dress that complemented her golden coloring and enhanced the rich darkness of her almond eyes. Sofia was certainly not model thin, nor was she model tall. She was voluptuous.

"Magandang gabi. Kumesta," she said in to Raoul in a sultry voice as she walked in.

Raoul walked up to her and "Kamusta ka na?" rolled off his tongue.

Erik's eyebrows shot up and Christine dug her nails into Erik's palm. _I know it must hurt her._ He prayed Christine did not make a jealous scene in front of everyone over Raoul.

"Mabuti," she answered him.

"Ano ang bago?" Raoul asked.

"What language are they speaking?" Christine whispered to Erik.

"Tagalog. I have a Filipino student and it sounds like what she says on her phone."

"He learned her language. Ha. There a lot more to Raoul than the eye can see."

"But then we knew that," Erik grated.

"Huh?" Christine looked confused.

"Na miss kita," Sofia said softly to Raoul and walked over to Christine.

"Mayroon ba?" Raouled said to her back.

Sofia did not answer him. Instead she greeted Christine warmly in English, saying she remembered her from their previous meeting and the picture Raoul had just sent her. "Perhaps we'll have a chance to get to know each other tonight."

The girl walked up to Erik and gave him a double kiss on his cheeks. "I remember Raoul said you're French." He was surprised. No one ever kissed his cheeks once, even less twice. Christine's eyebrows cocked just a bit. A gleam of amusement shone in her eyes.

The girl looked straight into his eyes and smiled. It was an open sincere smile

"I hope you will play for us tonight Erik. Lara says you're marvelous."

"Lara? Lara Garcia, my third year student?"

"She's my cousin."

"I see it now. Of course. You are the cousin from the Philippines," he stated.

Sofia nodded. "I studied at the Concervatorio de Musica. in Cebu."

Erik was impressed. It was one of the best music schools in Asia.

"I hope we can have a chat about music later this evening. Welcome to our home," Erik said to her. In a day in which the certainty of their future hung on how much humiliation he could bear. Despite his heartbreak, he had something to look forward to.

"Thank you for letting me share _Noche Buenas_ with your family."

Raoul stood slightly back, a frown threatening to form between developing between his brows. He took Sofia by the arm to the other side of the room and introduced her to Mrs. Williams.

"Did you hear that Christine? She's a real musician."

"I know love. I hope it will please you to talk about your music with someone who is not your student or in your employ. She might not share all your opinions."

Christine knew him so well. He hated toddies. Maybe Sofia would be the breath of fresh air he needed tonight. Erik hoped Christine was not planning to use Sofia to keep him busy while she slipped out for a tumble with Raoul. Just the thought of the duplicity enraged him.

Let it Snow 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin

Tagalog

Magandang gabi. Kumesta, Good evening How are you

Kamusta ka na?". How have you been?

Mabuti. - fine

Ano ang bago? Anything new?

Wala masyado. Not much

Na miss kita,― I missed you

Mayroon ba?"― have you?


	5. Chapter 5

**Let it Snow** ©

By Phantasmarose

Disclaimer: I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own.

Chapter 5

Erik was not disappointed. He spent half an hour talking about classical music with Sofia. She held informed opinions on most musical topics. He found that they shared a weakness for Franz Schubert's Piano Sonata in B-flat major. Neither appreciated Muzio Clementi's Sonatinas, since their early experiences on the piano had been endless repetitions of these. But, all was not perfect in her musical knowledge. Erik could not bear her totally unfounded criticism of Beethoven's Symphony No. 2. Criticism of that master was to be entered into with great caution and knowledge. Her youth, could explain her rash opinion on the symphony. It was however, a correctable error in her education.

Raoul sat opposite to them, as if guarding the girl. He looked from one to the other with a forlorn look on his face. For once, Raoul had brought over a woman of substance to their holiday feast. Last year's date, a beauty, had brought along a copy of Elle magazine and sat studying every single ad. Erik wasn't certain she could read. When she noticed Erik looking at her, she flipped a few pages and showed him the page where she appeared modeling a fur coat. The few pounds the camera added would have been a blessing on her body.

It was Erik's opinion that Sofia, was to be commended for not relying on her body's attributes, for her success. The young woman had already amassed quite a few awards for her interpretations of the masters on the piano. Erik longed to hear her play. Sofia agree to play for them after they had dinner. Like Christine, Sofia was used to celebrating Christmas Eve with a feast. Erik hoped he could sneak in a duet if they could agree on the piece to play.

-o-

It pleased Christine that Erik looked like he was having a good time. Sofia really knew about music and the two were involved in a deep conversation on the subject. Christine, might have felt a pang of jealousy, but every few minutes, Erik searched the room for her and caught her eye. Even after two years of marriage he still looked like a moonstruck cow, whenever he looked her way. She knew Erik still did not like crowds, but he was no longer a recluse. Erik did not react well to stress, but increasingly, he found it easier to socialize with a relative stranger, so long as he was in familiar surroundings.

Raoul was slouching on a seat across from Erik and Sofia ― sulking. She would happily pull his ears for doing that. He knew how difficult it was for Erik to find someone he could talk to about music. The least Raoul could do, was to be happy for his friend. It wasn't as if Erik showed any sign of interest in Sofia other than in her knowledge of music. If Christine had had the tiniest doubt of that, Sofia would be warming the sidewalk waiting for a cab and never would that girl, have gotten within a foot of her husband again.

Christine called Raoul to the kitchen to help her take the turkey out of the oven. Sure enough, Erik's eyes discreetly followed her, as she and Raoul walked into the kitchen. This should keep Raoul in the kitchen with her for a while.

"Sooo… Since when do you speak… um… Filipino?" Christine asked Raoul.

"I only know a few phrases." He looked pleased.

"I like her," Christine admitted.

"I like her too. And I wouldn't mind talking to her if Erik gave me a chance."

"Raoul, you know he doesn't find most people interesting. Give him a chance. You'll have her the rest of the night and longer if you are smart about it."

"Sure, and how interesting will I sound after her conversation with Erik? What will I talk about with her that will make her sit forward like she is now ― last Sunday's game?"

"Just talk about what you usually do,"

"Once I open my mouth, I'll confirm her opinion that I'm an out-and-out idiot."

"Why do you say that?"

"A while ago she recommended I read a couple of books. I got them, but I haven't even cracked the cover."

"Why not?"

"Every time she tries to talk to me about the books I have to sidestep the issue. I'm just not a reader. Can't sit for hours with a book. I fall asleep."

"Maybe you haven't found a topic that's really interesting to you."

"Love football, but I won't read about it"

"Raoul, you're young and you could…"

"I reached over my head with Sofia. She's a concert pianist. I know I'm not good enough for her. I coach our local football team. That's were my dreams got me to. I could kick the heck off a football when I was in college, but failed to make any career out of it. The scouts agreed I was good, but they didn't see potential for a professional career."

"Oh Raoul."

"I'm not jealous of Erik for being able to hold Sofia in spellbound. I'm ashamed of me, for not having amazing things to say to her."

Christine held her arms out to him and as broad as Raoul was he folded himself to fit inside her arms.

"Do you have more phrases you could throw at her in filipino?" Christine asked him.

"Yeah. But I better not say it or she'll run."

"Mmmmm. That one?"

"Yeah. You know what's the worst part? I really am crazy in love with her," he muttered into Christine's shoulder.

"How do you say what you want to say in Filipino?"

"Iniibig kita."

As if she had called him with her thoughts, Erik appeared at the kitchen door. She signaled to him to go back to the living room. Christine did not want Erik to walk in and embarrass Raoul. She held on to Raoul for a moment longer and before they fully separated Raoul placed a wet kiss on her forehead. "Thank you. I just needed a hug."

Christine controlled a desire to wipe the wet spot from the center of her forehead. It seemed to her that Raoul should work on his kisses and well as his reading. Raoul took the turkey out of the oven for her and held the twenty five pound critter low enough for her to baste. He put it back into the oven. Before he walked back into the living she pointed to her grinning mouth, Raoul nodded and he pasted his usual affable smile on his own face. Christine stood at the living room door and noticed that Yasser wasn't busy. Maybe he already had an answer to the question she had asked him a few days before.

-o-

Erik went to the kitchen to check on Raoul and Christine. The scene he found broke his heart. Christine was cuddling Raoul. Her arms wrapped around the young man's broad shoulders. It was not a passionate embrace, but a decidedly intimate one. Raoul almost looked silly trying to fit into her arms. Raoul whispered something to Christine in what sounded to Erik as Tagalog. She noticed Erik at the door and instead of looking shame faced and jumping away from her lover, she had the temerity to shoo Erik away from the door with a flick of her hand.

Erik made up his mind. He was not going to put up with this treatment in his own home. Tomorrow they might ask him to get up from his bed so they could use it. He had caught them ― again. What was he trying to preserve by acting as if he lived with his head in the clouds. A moment later Raoul walked out of the kitchen looking like the Cheshire cat. Erik wished he could knock those naturally straight teeth into the back of the Raoul's skull. He had to confront Christine. He couldn't lose her if she was no longer his anyway.

Erik returned to the living room and sat beside Sofia. His mind was full of the new image of Christine and Raoul in full embrace. He pitied her, but at least they weren't married. She talked to him about some sonata or other. With some effort he kept up his end, but could no longer enjoy a conversation about anything that was not related to his preoccupation. At the opportune moment in their conversation, Erik asked Sofia for the meaning of the words he had heard Raoul say to Christine as he stood at the kitchen door.

"The other day Lara was on her phone," he told her. "And I heard her say _Iniibig kita._ What is the meaning of that phrase?" Sofia's eyebrows shot up. Erik hoped he had not just insulted the girl. Then a smile widened on her lips. "I think she was talking about a piece of music when she said that."

"My goodness. Lara wasn't talking about music if she said those words. _Iniibig kita_ , means I love you… in a most meaningful way." Sofia's golden skin glowed as she flushed a little.

Erik's heart sank further. Raoul had declared his love to Christine. It was odd that he should do so in Tagalog. He clung to a ray of hope. Perhaps, Raoul had said it in Tagalog, because he knew Christine didn't know the language. He did not wish to show his cards yet… which could only mean Christine had _not_ told Raoul that she loved him.

"I must have misunderstood her, after all, I only heard a partial one-sided conversation. I'm afraid that my knowledge of your language extends to whatever I can commit to memory."

"Mmm… what is my young cousin up to?"

Erik managed a benign smile and changed the conversation.

Christine followed Raoul out of the kitchen and mingled with their other guests. Raoul came over and repossessed Sofia. Erik walked away. He watched Christine whispered something in Mrs. Williams' ear and the old woman's face nearly cracked with a huge smile. It was lovely, the way they got along. If Christine left him she would be leaving her friendship with Mrs. Williams behind. Erik swallowed hard.

It wouldn't be the Christmas season without Mrs. Williams monopolizing his favorite chair. This year she had taken over his new Japanese massage chair. When the chair first arrived, he let the machine scan his body to deliver massage designed for him. Christine had kept him busy during the Christmas season and so he had only used it twice. Mrs. Williams looked over at him, cocked her eyebrow and pressed her head into the high back.

Four years ago, Mrs. Williams had called out to him from the other side of the room that she could see Erik did not want her to sit on his chair. So, she got up and leaning heavily on her cane, she wobbled across the room and transferred herself to a metal folding chair, grimacing and moaning as she did so. Raoul and whatever girl he had brought with him that year, both raised their eyebrows and exchanged glances. Yasser shot him an incredulous look of disgust and insisted Mrs. Williams sit on his chair if Erik couldn't play the gentleman. He was not about to fall for that trick again. Erik turned away from Mrs. Williams, but not before he saw her triumphant smile.

 _She remembers!_

"Erik would you mind getting me a cup of punch?" Mrs. Williams said to him.

The old biddy, was going to rub it in.

He took her an empty glass of punch and excused himself.

"Thank you dear. I hope you don't mind my using your chair for a short while. My back is killing me," she said louder than a ninety one year old should be able to speak.

"If you are comfortable. It is my pleasure to have you sit on it."

"Are you comfortable where you're sitting?" She knew he wasn't.

"I am fine." He said through gritted teeth. Why was she teasing him so this year?

"Then you won't mind my sitting on it tomorrow?" she asked.

"Consider it your chair," he said, as his eyes skimmed the room for Christine's whereabouts.

"Well, that is very kind of you. My goodness," She raised her voice even more, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. "I won't take another Christmas gift from you tomorrow. No. I won't, the gift of this chair is too much already. Thank you Erik. I won't even take it tonight." The smirk on her face was fierce.

Erik swallowed hard. He had just lost his new chair to the old biddy. Mrs. Williams had bested him. She had used his distraction with Christine against him. All Erik could do was produce a half-smile as Mrs. Williams appropriated his new chair. Everyone nodded and smiled at him. Yasser patted his back.

"Erik can you put in my measurements? It's set for a much taller person." _Yes, me!_ With everyone's eyes on him, Erik activated the body scan and reset the chair so that the massage would be optimized for her body."

"Sit still," he ground out. Mrs. Williams laughed.

The Konichikana 6000 had the latest technology in massage chairs. It massaged from the soles of the feet to the top of the head. If the chair was used once a week, the company promised that through the healing powers of the mechanical shiatsu massage, the user would feel ten years younger in six month. Erik had a mind to booby-trap the chair.

Mrs. Williams pressed a few buttons and cooed when the chair began a cycle of massage. Half the room stood around her, as she pressed different buttons and activated all the tricks his chair new chair ― now customized for her ― had to offer.

"Bless you Erik. This little machine will help with all my pains," Mrs. Williams purred cloyingly.

"Enjoy," was all he could get out without grabbing her by the arm, ripping her off his chair and marching the old biddy home. _Tomorrow will be another day._

"Ohh! Let's see what this button does." she said to her audience. "Don't go too far Erik. I might need you to tweak the chair until it's just right."

Erik ignored her and walked away. He thought of continuing his conversation with Sofia again, but this time she was engaged in conversation with Raoul. Christine walked with Yasser into the kitchen. Perhaps, Erik thought bitterly, he should take a number if he wanted a few moments with his wife. They came out after a few minutes. Yasser was holding a couple of jugs of fresh lemonade and Christine had a large lemon merengue pie in her hands.

When he came out of the kitchen, Yasser avoided Erik's gaze and looked like the cat that had just swallowed the canary. Could she have engaged his legal services? If that was the case, his friend would not be able to warn him of her plans. _Is she preparing her escape from me?_

"Look at this beauty," Christine called everyone's attention to herself, as she held up a pie. "Raoul made the merengue for this pie."

"Hope you remembered the sugar Raoul." Yasser teased him.

Sofia looked at Raoul with wonder in her eyes. Raoul flushed.

"I'm impressed," Sofia said to Raoul.

"I was a witness," said Mrs. Williams from across the room. "I saw him whip that merengue like he had windmill blades at the end of his arms instead of hands."

Raoul grinned and fluttered his hands in the air to claps from his audience.

Erik nearly collapsed with relief. So that was the production he had heard coming the kitchen earlier. They had been making merengue for the pie. It didn't erase the old or recent images he had in his head of Christine and Raoul in each other's arms.

Across the room Christine placed her pie down on the nearest table and walked straight to Erik. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him fully in the mouth in front of everyone. Erik's ears burned when oohs and ahhs circulated the room.

"I just heard what you did for Mrs. Williams. I know you waited six month for delivery of that chair. You are the most caring man I have ever known. Oh and thank you for not embarrassing Raoul earlier. He was having a manIy weep on my shoulder and would not have wanted your pity." Christine looked deep into his eyes. "I am so in love with you." Christine did not let him get in a word and claimed his mouth again. Erik was so caught up in her kisses that his eyes closed and did not stray to the Konichikana 6000 for a final good-bye.

Let it Snow 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin


	6. Chapter 6

**Let it Snow** ©

By Phantasmarose

Disclaimer: I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own.

Chapter 6

Christmas day

Christine woke him up with a tight hug and pressed her lips to his _. Last night she said she was in love with me. Maybe she doesn't want to leave me, she just needs more attention than I have been providing._ Christine had never complained, but Erik recalled the increased amount of time he was spending at the music school in order to improve its standing in the eyes of serious musicians. Her hands began to rub his chest looking for his sensitive areas. Erik knew what Christine wanted. From now on he was going to keep her so satisfied, that she would not need to look outside their marriage. Erik let her hands find their prize and inhaled sharply at her touch. She smiled at her achievement. His arms encircled her and brought her closer.

Two hours later they actually spoke.

"Merry Christmas Erik."

"Merry Christmas Christine."

"Did you enjoy your conversation with Sofia last night?"

"Unquestionably. Very intelligent. Her cousin Lara is the same. Holds strong ill-informed opinions, but then she is young. She will see the wisdom of my way someday."

"Well said my love. And with such modesty."

"I don't believe in false modesty or in soothing feathers," Erik stated.

"Or in having yours ruffled."

He looked at her sheepishly. "Am I that obvious?"

"Raoul was jealous, because you monopolized his girl."

Erik's face hardened at her mention of Raoul. "Does he think he has the right to all females?"

She laughed at the intensity in his face. "Poor Raoul, he knows he can't compete with you in conversation."

"In conversation only?" he asked.

"Don't be a show off Erik. He confessed to me that he didn't think he could have walked all the miles you walked in that storm."

"That boy's impetuousness put you in danger. I had to make sure you were kept safe."

"Raoul says you're _hard_ like his Dad was."

"We were both Rangers."

"So you are hard?" A sly smirk appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"If something needs to get done, I will get it done," he said to her, his face impassive.

"Well, husband, let's see if you can accomplish your primary task in 45 minutes before every one gets here."

"Forty five minutes huh? I can accomplish my task twice and be ready to greet our guests at the door."

"You're on Erik Bonneville," Christine said, settling back into her pillow.

His mouth crashed down on hers. He explored her mouth, as if he were kissing her for the first time. Christine responded to his kiss by sighing and pushing up against him.

"I am so glad I married you," she murmured into his ear, when he released her lips.

Erik wanted to go back to bed ― to sleep. He felt wiped out. Erik was glad Christine was still in the bathroom, so she didn't hear the groan that escaped his lips, as he pushed off the bed. He straightened his back and pressed his lips together to halt the tortured sound that would have followed. The door-bell rang.

"Erik get the door, I'm still in the shower." she called out from their bathroom.

"Not a problem, as I told you I'm ready to go." Erik quickly pulled on a pair of pants and threw a sweater over his head without care for their state of cleanliness. His hand smoothed down his hair on the way to the door. No shoes. Whoever it was could be a witness to his ten naked toes.

Erik opened the door and Yasser came through the door and pushed a bottle into Erik's chest. His friend still did not look him in the eye. _What did Christine share with him?_ "You need to get more sleep. Looking like hell, bro," Yasser proclaimed. Erik did not bother to answer him and returned to the bedroom for his shoes.

A short while after, Raoul knocked and Yasser let him in. Mrs. Williams held on to the door and entered right behind Raoul, as if she were afraid she would not have been allowed entrance on her own.

Mrs. Williams made a bee line for the chair. She gave the back a proprietary pat and sat on it. Christine saw Mrs. Williams and gave Erik a loving look. The Konishikana 6000 would be gone by that evening. Erik only had the final five of six payments to make on it. After his double session with Christine this morning, Erik wanted to sit on his chair. He could have sat on it and let it take the kink out of his muscles. He heard the motor whirl as Mrs. Williams turned on the chair. Her eyes met his and she blew him a kiss. He narrowed his eyes at the old woman to intimidate her, but she just leaned back to enjoy a massage.

Christine came into the room with a bright smile on her face and reminded everyone that they would have their Christmas lunch after they opened their gifts and played a few games. Christine patted a space on the chair next to her and Erik sat hunched over beside his wife. The five people that always met for Christmas were all there. Everyone, with the exception of Mrs. Williams, who sat on the massage chair, gathered close to the ficus tree filled with Christine's origami animals and gifts.

After all the gifts had been given out Christine announced that the group was to play the first game.

Erik hated games.

In his experience, games never turned out well. Winners made themselves unpleasant and losers always sulked. Christine let everyone pick out a tiny piece of folded paper, which resembled the origami animals hanging from the tree. When it was Erik's turn to pick, she handed him a paper item. She then told them that each person had to guess what their folded paper item represented in their life.

Raoul pick up a circle, which he called a wheel. He said he would hang it from his rear view mirror as a reminder to save money for a new car. "Well, a car new to me," he laughed.

Yasser had what looked like a hammer, which he interpreted as a gavel ― a sign of his future as a judge. He insisted on placing it next to the star at the top of the tree for luck. Mrs. Williams' item, was a box, which Erik thought might make a good container to ship the old woman to her son on the other side of the country, though he did not say so. She thought it represented her need to break out of the box and be more adventurous in her senior years.

"So where will you go for your first adventure?" Erik asked, hoping she would pick up on the hint.

"Not too far. Perhaps I will take music classes at your school," Mrs. Williams said with a smile. "Imagine, I would be around you all day long."

Erik did not find the thought slightly amusing.

He looked at his own item ― a small basket with what looked like two wheels. He kept turning it in his hand trying to figure out not just what it was. It wasn't a wheel barrel.

A minute passed and Mrs. Williams shouted from her chair, "I'm half-way across the room and blind with age and I can see it's a cradle."

Erik failed to see what the tiny paper delicacy had to do with him. _Ahh. The lullaby._ He was meant to add it to the tree. _The cradle will fall._ Erik stood and placed his cradle on one of the branches. Everyone around him gasped and stared at him. Even Yasser met his gaze with an incredulous look in his eyes.

"Lord, he is one of your own, but he is dense," Mrs. Williams called out.

Christine rose from her seat with deliberate calmness, a pained smile on her lips. The room hushed. She crossed the room and walked into their bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Erik groaned. He hated to play games.

Erik was sure he had missed a clue in the game and had done something wrong, something offensive even. He followed his wife. As he passed Mrs. Williams, she grabbed his hand.

"You're lucky your wife is such a lady. I would have clobbered you."

Erik walked to the bedroom door, took a deep breath and turned the doorknob. He had expected to see Christine lying on the bed in tears. She was very calmly sitting on the stool in front her vanity, brushing her hair. Her back was very straight. He could see her face reflected in the mirror. Her face was pale and her lips thinned into a hard line.

"Was that your way of telling me you don't want it?" she asked him raising her eyes to look at him.

"Don't want what? What did I do wrong?" He was desperate. She looked furious and he was the object of that fury ― but why? Was the paper cradle a stand-in for their marriage falling… failing… crashing? He could memorize an entire symphony, but he had never been any good at puzzles. He couldn't mess up whatever this was about. Raoul was just on the other side of their bedroom door, ready to take Christine away and Erik did not even know how he had failed her.

"Just come out with it," he demanded. "What have I done?"

"Erik are you being honest with me? You really didn't get it?"

"No, I didn't get it. I don't get anything. Are you creating a fight between us, so that you have an excuse to leave me? Is that it? I have tried to turn a blind eye to your affair, but it consumes my thoughts… it's destroying me"

"What? Affair? Me?"

"Don't make me out to be stupid. I know. I know about you and Raoul. I saw you in the car, as you slept in his arms. Then last night in the kitchen, you were embracing him and you threw me out of the room, so you could linger in his arms. I don't know how, but I let it pass, when I should have ripped his head off."

Christine looked shocked by his words. "I explained that to you that he was…" Did she really think he wouldn't mind?

"I know. I know he is in love with you. Don't deny it, because I heard him tell you last night." Christine looked even more stunned and shook her head wildly. Erik realized that the room was spinning, but he pressed on. "I love you, like I never thought I could. But, I won't share you. I won't turn a blind eye to you cavorting with my best friend's son."

A metallic taste in his mouth made it water. "How far has it gone already between you two?" His chest pounded. "Is he bedding you?" Erik realized he was having an attack. He didn't want Christine to be a witness to his weakness, so he quickly spun on his heels to get away from her.

Wrong move.

The room darkened at the edges. Someone was squeezing his throat, but there were no hands around his neck. He pulled on the sweater collar. Erik took another step toward the door.

"Erik. Erik!" He heard her voice coming from far away, although Christine was standing in front of him. No air was getting to his lungs. He was about to tell her that he was in trouble, when his legs lost their strength and turned to jelly, then with the sweet sound of her voice in his ears, Erik felt himself plummet to the floor.

Let it Snow 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin


	7. Chapter 7

**Let it Snow** ©

By Phantasmarose

Disclaimer: I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own.

Chapter 7

Christmas day

They never argued. And yet here was her wonderful mild mannered husband accusing her of having an affair. Somehow Erik had developed the idea that she and Raoul were involved in some sort of intimate relationship. Christine was taken aback at the suggestion of ever having anything romantic with Raoul.

"How far has it gone already between you two? Erik bellowed. "Is he bedding you?"

With those words, he turned away and stumbled toward the door. Erik clawed at his throat, strange sounds gurgled up from his throat. Something was very wrong.

"Erik. Erik!"

Erik crashed into the door and stood there wobbling. Christine reached him and saw his eyes go blank and turn to the back of his head. She was unable to slow down his descend to the floor. Christine was paralyzed. She knew he did not react well to high stress. Why had she played that game? She was now sure, that her announcement about the baby, had flown over his head.

Christine snapped out of her stupor and knelt next to him. She cradled Erik's head in her arms. To her horror, his head lolled to the side. Trembling she put her lips near to his nose and mouth. There was no exhale. His chest did not move. Erik was dead!

"Help," she called out in a voice, so weakened by fear that the words seemed to rattle inside her head. "Help," she repeated. Tears threatened to pour, but Christine sucked them back. If he was truly dead, she would have a lifetime to cry. If he could be helped, then tears were a luxury she could not indulge in, when she could be helping him. She could not formulate words and allowed a raw pained cry fly out of her throat.

Raoul was the first to blast through the door with Yasser on his heels and Mrs. Williams followed in their wake leaning on her cane. The three stopped at the threshold staring at the scene before them.

"He's dead!" Christine's voice cracked.

"What happened?" Raoul asked her bending over Erik.

"He passed out and fell. I checked and he's not breathing."

"Yasser, call an ambulance right now," Mrs. Williams ordered and pushed Raoul out of the way to reach Erik. Yasser moved to the other side of the room and tapped the three number code on his cell phone. Holding on to the bed, Mrs. Williams dropped to the floor with some difficulty. She placed her ear over Erik's heart. "Remove this," she said pointing to the mask. "I was an emergency room nurse. I know what I'm doing."

"No, I don't think he'll like it," Christine told her.

"Do you want to bury him in it?" Christine gasped at the harsh words.

She grabbed his mask from beneath and pulled the mask off Erik's face. What she saw horrified her. A low cry escaped from her throat. _This is Erik? My Erik?_ There was no recognizable human face, not even a nose, just badly damaged skin stretched over bone. A plastic nose prosthesis fell out of the mask she was still holding and rolled onto the floor. Christine nearly let Erik's head drop from her lap in her attempt not to let the false nose touch her. She let the mask drop.

"My God." Raoul gagged, but stayed rooted to the spot. Yasser, had stopped answering the emergency dispatcher on the phone and simply stared at Erik's head, his mouth hanging open. At the prompting of the dispatcher, he quickly turned away and gave them the apartment's address.

Christine felt her stomach water as she looked at his head. She wanted to get away from the ugliness on her lap. Instead, she pushed down the luncheon that threatened to come up.

"You," Mrs. Williams said pointing to Raoul come down here. Put your hands like this. Press down on his chest."

"We had to do this in the boys scouts… on a dummy."

Raoul pumped his chest as Mrs. Williams indicated. Mrs. Williams took Erik's pulse and a frown accentuated her wrinkled face.

"Christine, Christine look at me. I know it's shocking, but you have to concentrate. You are going to have to give him mouth to mouth resuscitation. I can't breathe for him. I barely have enough breath for myself," Mrs. Williams said to her in a no-nonsense firm voice.

"I don't think I can."

"You have to."

"No!"

"Think of how much he loves you."

All the while she shook her head and recoiled away from the monstrous face.

"This _is_ Erik. The man you love. Your husband," Mrs. Williams cajoled.

"I can't put my mouth on … on that… it's not Erik."

"Then, I hope he will look better to you in a box," Mrs. Williams said in a frosty voice.

Christine looked at the melted flesh and gaged. She felt horrible, but couldn't help her reaction. "I will try."

Mrs. Williams tilted Erik's head back, opened Erik's mouth and showed Christine how to place her mouth over Erik's. "Two breaths," she said and blew into Erik's mouth. Christine watched the old woman cover Erik's mouth without any hesitancy and breathe into his mouth. His chest rose. Perhaps she would not have to do it. Perhaps one breath was enough. Breathing hard, Mrs. Williams sat back, while Raoul continued to compress Erik's chest.

"Come on girl, he needs you," Mrs. Williams said, as she tried to catch her breath. Christine willed her body not to hesitate. Christine looked away from the melted flesh and closed her eyes. How many times haven't we kissed? How is this different?

"Two breaths."

Even though she couldn't see him with her eyes closed, she had to will her resisting body to bend over Erik. Her lips covered his. Her stomach contracted, but she won a fragile control over its contents. She filled his lungs with two quick breaths in succession and pulled her face up.

"Thirty," Raoul counted out. Was Raoul doing those compressions extra fast? How could it be time for her to do her part again?

"Come on." Mrs. Williams signaled to Christine. "Two breaths."

Christine ventured a look at Erik's face and had to close her eyes before her mouth, reluctantly, lowered toward his face and covered his lips. She held back a shiver. Too soon she heard Mrs. Williams again say, "Two breaths." This time she obeyed immediately. After a few minutes, she was actually getting accustomed to lowering her mouth to Erik's. Mrs. Williams took Erik's pulse.

"Come closer Yasser. Watch what she is doing. You're going to have to take over for her."

Yasser paled and mutely nodded.

The possibility that her permanent green card might be denied played on her mind. If she had to return to Sweden, would the baby go with her or stay with Erik? She had confided in Yasser about the baby. She had not wanted to tell Erik about the baby, until Yasser had an answer for her. Yasser had no definitive answer for her. Christine decided to let Erik in on the news of the baby by way of a game. Instead of coming straight out with her news, she had upset Erik.

"I… I'll do it now Christine," Yasser said to her tapping her shoulder to dislodge her.

Instead of feeling relief. She felt her usefulness repudiated. No wonder, Erik had kept his face secret from her. He must have guessed how she would react. _You're an idiot. A vain fool._ Christine looked down on her husband's awful face and forced herself to gaze at him while Raoul counted out the last compressions. Her lips covered Erik's and she gave him her breath and all the love she could pass to him. Everything she loved about him was behind that monstrosity. All his love for her was there as well. She would not lose him.

Erik wheezed and sucked in air on his own. "He's breathing," Christine called out.

Mrs. Williams put a hand out to stop Raoul and checked Erik's breathing. She took his pulse and smiled.

Christine shuddered to think that she might have lost Erik. She gave him a kiss on each melted cheek, then a longer kiss on the lips. "We're going to have a baby, Erik. A boy," she whispered into his ear.

Raoul looked pale, but he wasn't looking away from Erik's face.

"That's what they did to him… when he tried to rescue my father." Raoul choked. "They used acid on his face to get him to talk… to give away my father's position. Erik didn't know my Dad was already dead and clammed up."

"How do you know this Raoul?" Christine asked him.

"At my Dad's funeral. That's all the other Rangers talked about. He risked everything for his unit. Erik's a hero."

Yasser knelt next to Erik and placed a hand over Erik's. He closed his eyes and prayed. When he finished he looked at Mrs. Williams in wonder.

"How come you weren't affected by his … well …," Yasser asked Mrs. Williams.

"You have no idea what an emergency room nurse is exposed to. I worked in a poor area… a lot of gang warfare. A gunshot wound to the face looks much worse. I assure you. Nope, this doesn't make me bat an eye."

"Well, someone's going to have to get me off this floor or throw me a blanket, so I can sleep over with you," Mrs. Williams cooed.

Christine offered her hand to help Mrs. Williams. The old woman waved her away and Yasser with Raoul's help pulled Mrs. Williams up off the floor and sat her down on the bed.

Christine looked at the old woman who had just saved Erik's life and laughed. "You can always stay with us Mrs. Williams.

"Ho, ho… I can't wait to share your offer with Erik. I can tease him with that one to my dying day." The old woman cackled. Christine heard the ambulance siren get closer until it was hard to talk above its sound. The red and blue flashing lights blasted through the windows and danced over their walls and ceiling.

"Go on Raoul open the door for the EMS boys," Mrs. Williams urged.

"Do they have to take him to the hospital? He looks so much better," Christine asked.

Mrs. Williams patted her hand and nodded. "Yes dear it is best. Plenty of life left in your young man. Plenty of time to make more babies. If you still want him."

She was ashamed of her initial reaction to Erik's face. If it hadn't been for Mrs. Williams directing her, she might have run away. Although, eventually she had done the right thing she could not give herself credit. She had failed Erik.

Two EMS paramedics came in. One tall and lanky, the other one was slightly shorter with rippling muscles. Neither look shocked when they came into the room and set eyes on Erik's face. They went to work immediately, taking his vital signs, while Mrs. Williams gave them his earlier pulse readings and other details of the incident. The shorter of the men called in all the information. Christine kept out of the way. Erik coughed, the paramedics looked at each other. Christine's heart plummeted. The men shared a smile and continued preparing the stretcher. "It's a good sign." Mrs. Williams said and squeezed her hand. These strangers didn't even know what a wonderful man Erik was and they were reacting to him with such compassionate care. _What is wrong with me?_

The paramedics placed Erik on to the stretcher and whisked him out.

"Is someone coming with him?"

"I will." The tall man looked at her with pity. Why was she to be pitied, because her husband was sick or because she was married to a man with a horribly deformed face?

She climbed in the back of the ambulance with Erik. "I'm his wife," she pronounced proudly.

"His pulse is almost normal. Relax, the hospital is waiting for him," the tall paramedic told her a small smile on his lips.

On the ride to the hospital she kept her eyes glued to Erik's face. One of her hands held his. If he was at all conscious, he would want to feel her touch.

Let it Snow 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin


	8. Chapter 8

**Let it Snow** ©

By Phantasmarose

Disclaimer: I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own.

Chapter 8

Erik opened his eyes to an empty, unfamiliar room. A flashback to the "special" room he had been held in as a prisoner of war, unnerved him. Erik forced himself to open his eyes wide and look around. No… he was safe. This was an American hospital room. _Why was he here?_

Erik attempted to get up, but was unable to pick his head up, off the bed more than a few inches. His head felt achy. His hands went to his head to check for bandages, gingerly, his fingertips searched his forehead. The slick uneven texture told him what he most feared.

His mask! It was gone, and his abominable face was exposed for all to see.

Erik bolted upright in a surge of adrenaline, then wobbled and dropped back on his pillow with a grunt. _Where is my mask? And who had the audacity to take it off?_

The door to his room cracked open. Erik quickly pulled up the edge of the sheet to cover his face.

"Mr. Bonneville you have very anxious friend out here."

 _That must be Christine._ "That's my wife, don't let her in."

"Um… your friend… um… an older lady, said for me to hand you this."

Erik stuck part of his head out and saw the nurse holding him his mask. His fingers reached for it under strict control not to snatch.

Why did Mrs. Williams have his mask?

-o-

Christine knocked on the door. This was the last… no, next to the last place she wanted to be. She had come to the America with Brent's help. He had been kind and offered her a place to stay. She had never loved him, but she had thought that their friendship might get there. When her student visa was about to run out. Brent promised to "fix" things for her. She handed him all the money she had and he had disappeared for days leaving her without food in the apartment. She had to bless Brent for that, because that was what led to her meeting Erik. Brent did re-appear and he had "fixed" things for her. By then she had been smitten by the man she loved with all her heart ― a man who wore a mask covering his face ― Erik. Yet, here she was again, seeking Brent's help.

Christine smiled to herself. Erik never said his name, when they talked about him and he was forced to, he simply referred to Brent as _Shady_. After her decision to marry Erik, Brent had suddenly moved a few blocks down from their building. He had never bothered to keep in touch except for a rather formal greeting during a chance encounter in the neighborhood. With the exception of the one time, when he had whispered in her ear "If you ever need me. You know where I am. Don't hesitate." Brent had walked on away from her and never approached her again.

The door unlocked and there stood Brent blocking the door He displayed his long, chiseled body, wearing a low scoop T-shirt, and low slung jeans.

"Brent I need to go home," she puffed out before he had time to say anything that might make her turn and run.

A slow smile appeared on his handsome face. He ran a hand through dark unruly hair that nearly grazed his shoulders. Brent narrowed his eyes. A lion scoping his prey. "I thought you were making happy with that weird guy you married."

"Don't be a jerk."

"He hit you, didn't he?" Brent snorted.

"No. You can't understand and I won't explain."

"And you expect me to take you back after you ditched me for Freddy Kruger?"

"I'll leave and do what I can on my own." She began to turn away and felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry. I'll help." His face had changed and most of the posturing was gone.

"All I want from you is for you to make arrangements for me to return to Sweden."

"Sure. I'm going back myself in a few days. Business… you know. Maybe we'll get reacquainted on the trip back."

"Not a chance of that. I have money… Tell me what I need to give you for a one way ticket and whatever paperwork I need."

"I'll let you know next…"

"Tomorrow… morning. I need to be gone by then."

His eyes travelled the length of her body… slowly. It was a more of a calculating look than a lascivious one, though she did not rule that out. "It'll cost you, but… I can do it."

She handed him a packet with her documents and contact information. "Call me and give me a number. I'll be here with my bags."

His hand travelled from her shoulder to her wrist and gave it a tiny tug. "Stay, and I'll make us something to eat."

She pulled away. "Call. I'll have the money for you."

"You've toughened."

Christine nodded and walked out the steps. She would need to trust Brent again. In the three years she had been with Erik, he had taken care of all her needs. Brent was dead wrong. She hadn't toughened or bothered to learn half of what she should know. She still had no idea what to do to buy herself an airplane ticket. She had even less of an idea of what papers she needed. She was a temporary resident of the US, but a Swedish national what papers did she need to go back? Everything she and Erik had discussed hovered around her staying here by his side.

She dragged herself back to their apartment and walked through it. There was no time in her entire life that she had been happier. This apartment represented their marriage. How could she face Erik and let him love her, when she had almost let him die. His poor face had disgusted her. If it wasn't for Mrs. Williams, she would have recoiled into a corner and watched him… Tears over whelmed her. _I love you Erik._ She would not dishonor the purity of his love by taking more from him. She did not deserve all he did for her. He didn't even know about the baby, so that would be one less problem on his mind. On her way to their bedroom she snatched the paper cradle from the tree and stuffed it into her handbag.

-o-

Erik couldn't figure it out. He had expected that Christine would be by his side. She fawned over him if he got a paper cut… and now that he had landed in a hospital…

Mrs. Williams and Raoul had told him that Christine had been in the ambulance with him. Then, she had stayed in the hospital until the doctors had told the small group that he was out of any danger. She had excused herself then and headed back to their apartment.

The nurses had told him that Christine had called several times to ask about him. He had not seen her since he woke up. All day he waited, but she never came and never called him directly. Erik called her cell number over and over again, but it was either busy or it rang until it went to voice mail. She did not want to talk to him or see him. Was her presence at his bedside too much to expect from a wife?

Toward the end of the day, he was left alone with Mrs. Williams. She explained that between Christine and Raoul, they had saved his life.

"Who took my mask off?"

"Christine."

"I see." Christine had seen him unmasked! She was probably at home retching her guts out.

"She gave you mouth to mouth."

"I see." That explained everything. How could she want anything to do with him? She was kind to have even called to inquire after him.

Raoul came in and gently tapped Mrs. Williams on the shoulder.

"Visiting hours are over."

"She'll be here in the morning. You'll see," Mrs. Williams' bony hand covered his.

"Check in on her when you go home. She may not be feeling well."

The old woman nodded bent over and gave him a kiss on the exposed skin at his hairline.

-o-

Christine sat at the kitchen table trying to compose a letter to Erik. She had been trying to write the perfect letter so he would understand her and be less hurt ― the basket was full of her failed attempts. Still, she couldn't just leave without a good-bye. A knock at the door startled her.

"Christine? Dear, are you in there?"

A long pause.

"Erik is going to be discharged tomorrow. You should be there."

She heard Mrs. Williams' door close and exhaled.

Christine took a few essentials from her drawers and stuffed them into a free duffle bag someone had pushed on her at a street fair she had gone to with Erik. Everything she had brought with her from Sweden had been disposed of long ago. Erik had purchased a new wardrobe for her. She had shoes and bags from every designer she admired. It was she who had to exercise control, because Erik never said no. She packed her thickest sweaters and pants. After adding a few other items, she remembered to pack a sturdy pair of boots. It was winter and she remembered the cold in Sweden. She would purchase a double walled woolen hat and Gants de Suède gloves at the airport when she arrived. She would return to her village. Designer bags and shoes did not belong there. She looked at her hands ― soft city hands. Did they remember how to wrap around an udder and massage it until it was pouring like an intermittent faucet?

Her phone rang. Erik had called her twenty times and then he had stopped. He was hurt by her attitude and would not call again. It was Brent.

"I have everything. I will pick you up in my car. I'm leaving it at the airport."

"I'd rather you didn't." She didn't want a nosy neighbor to report to Erik that they had seen her getting into a car with Brent. He didn't need to know Brent was helping her.

"I won't be home. Be downstairs at five fifteen tomorrow morning. Look pretty… I can see your frown. I am joking, Christine. Go sleep."

Once she was done packing, Christine stretched out on their bed and tossed for hours. Her alarm rang ― four thirty. Before leaving the apartment, Christine called the hospital again to inquire about Erik. They confirmed Mrs. Williams' information. The hospital was discharging Erik next morning. This apartment, was the last place she wanted to be.

Christine stepped outside their apartment building and breathed in the cold air. Dawn was a long way from intruding. She shouldered her bag with the strange advertising. Brent was already there calming sipping from a paper cup. He smiled. "Here, bon voyage to us," he said, handing her a twin paper cup.

Let it Snow 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin


	9. Chapter 9

**Let it Snow** ©

By Phantasmarose

Disclaimer: I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own.

Chapter 9

The doctor at the hospital who signed Erik's discharge papers, had white hair and kindly eyes. Erik could not have cared less. His thoughts were on Christine's reaction when he walked out.

"I need you to take a pill now."

Erik nodded. _She saw my face, she saw my face!_

He swallowed the pill dry. The doctor chuckled.

Now she knew the horror, she had slept next to, had made love to, for the past two years.

The kind doctor, gave his patient a bottle of pills for his "battle" nerves and a prescription.

"Make sure you take one every eight hours."

Erik nodded. _She saw my face, she saw my face!_

The doctor, also advised Erik to seek therapy for his anxiety and at the last minute gave him a card with the name of a therapist. Erik knew better than to argue with these types. Pills, pills, pills…, then, talk, talk, talk.

He made his lips form a smile, pocketed the bottle, prescription and business card and nodded to everything else the doctor said.

"So, you will schedule an appointment at your nearest VA hospital."

Erik nodded. _She saw my face, she saw my face!_

"We don't want these panic attacks to happen again. I wish you well Mr. Bonneville."

Erik nodded. _She saw my face, she saw my face!_

Raoul was at the end of the hall way grinning and dangling his keys in the air.

He was alone. No Christine.

He need not have worried about her reaction when he was discharged, because she had not bothered to come.

"Aren't you lucky? You get to ride my baby again."

"Where's Christine?" He hated to have to ask.

"Um…I dunno. Getting all prettied up for you like she always does."

Erik grunted and plopped onto the passenger seat.

"So Erik," Raoul began as the engine sputtered to life. "I was thinking of… well… what do _you_ think of Sofia?"

Erik opened his mouth to answer, but Raoul continued his soliloquy.

"I'm going to ask her to marry me… I know I'm well below her… but I love her and that has to count for something."

Erik sat back knowing fully well that Raoul did not really want his input. He was reeling from the bomb Raoul had just dropped on him. Raoul was in love with Sofia. He had no design on Christine. What a fool he had been the past few days, seeing ghosts where there were shadows. The last thing he remembered was hurling accusations at Christine about her having an affair with Raoul. He had worked himself into such a frenzy that he had gone into a full blown panic attack. The doctors had told him something about his mind messing up the chemicals in his body to such a degree that he had caused his heart to stop. Thanks to his stupidity, Christine had seen what was under the mask. He had to make things with her.

"Love has to count for something, right?" Raoul said in a low voice.

"I hope so Raoul. Should count for something"

"Yeah. "Erik… thanks for trying to save my Dad," Raoul blurted as he dropped him off.

"No thanks needed. He would have done exactly the same for me."

"Need me to carry you up?"

"Not likely."

"I can throw you over my shoulder." Raoul smirked.

"Jerk!"

Raoul laughed.

"I'll call you later."

Erik waved Raoul goodbye and entered the building. He dragged his feet up the stairs, again fearing the encounter. He placed one foot inside his front door and immediately knew she was not in the apartment. Their apartment had a cave like feeling. Too much space.

A red light was lit on the phone unit. A message. Erik pressed the button before his mind began to develop theories…

"Hey Bonneville. It's Brent. Don't hang up. I helped her… ah, Christine, thinking she was running away from you 'cause you'd done something to her. I listen closer and she's the one who thinks she's done something unforgivable to you. I don't know what all this is about, but you should come get your wife before this takes an ugly spin. Get a pen I'm going to give you the info you need."

Erik called the airline. Flight 784 was scheduled to leave in 45 minutes for Stockholm.

It was time to call in favors…

-o-

Erik waited at the underused helipad in their local park and boarded the army helicopter as soon as it touched down.

He called the airline again and to his relief her flight had been delayed. A snow storm in Stockholm. _Lord, let it snow, let it snow._

Just before they landed, he received notice that Flight 784, was back on the board.

Erik was ready, as the helicopter touched down. He hit on the tarmac, lowered his head and sprinted for the terminal. He waved his badge at the military personnel waiting by the door and along with his companions, was allowed to flow directly into the waiting area. His people had come through, as he knew they would.

It took him a moment to locate her. Christine sat dabbing at the corners of her eyes. Brent sat across from her, observing Christine with a detached look on his face. Brent looked up as the small group approached, his eyebrows shooting up toward his hairline. He didn't move from his seat.

It took Erik a few strides and he was by her side. Without saying a word Erik sat down next to Christine and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Christine."

Startled, Christine pivoted in her seat and threw herself into Erik's arms. It would have been a bigger spectacle if everyone around them had not been busy getting their own bags and lining up to board the plane.

Brent picked up his bag and silently walked toward the group of passengers lining up. At a distance, he looked back once, a tiny smile curled his lip.

"I'm sorry I left Erik. How can you stand to see me?"

Erik was sure he had heard wrong. How could he not want to see her?

"Why go back to him? Have you rekindled a passion for Brent?"

"Brent? No! He… he only helped me get my ticket."

"Then? Why were you about to leave me? I'm sorry you had to see it."

She put a hand up to his mask and held his face in her palm. Her eyes watered again and heavy tears ran down her cheeks.

"I love you so very much, but I failed you when you needed me. I don't deserve you." She sniffed.

Erik took out his handkerchief and placed it around her nose. "I love you so very much." He heard her say, as to the rest, he had no clue what she could possibly be babbling about.

"Blow."

He wiggled the handkerchief and she blew. He wiped her reddened nose.

"You do everything for me. I don't deserve you."

He put his handkerchief away.

"Ok, drip snot everywhere."

"Now, I have to get on my plane."

He held her by both shoulders. "Christine. Let me explain this clearly. I cannot force you to love me and I cannot force you to stay with me forever. You may leave me another day, but there is absolutely no chance, that I will allow you to board that plane with Shady as your companion. Don't bother to argue. As far as you're concerned, Flight 784 has been cancelled."

She gazed at him. Looking deeply into his eyes.

"My bag is on that plane…"

He pointed to his right. A soldier stood a few feet away holing her duffle bag.

Christine looked at the soldier standing perfectly still, holding on to her duffle bag. She looked around and her eyes nearly bugged out. Her head pivoted and she scanned each and every soldier standing guard around the waiting area's perimeter.

"You brought the army? Who… who are these men?"

"Come we're going home."

"One of… those soldiers has my bag," She whispered to Erik.

"I know."

He took her by the hand and the two of them, followed by their entourage, walked through the same side entrance Erik had come in through and headed to the helicopter.

"We're getting inside this… this con… contraption?" she asked, wide eyed.

"Yes," he said and helped her board.

"Is this thing safe?" she asked grapping his hand.

She was trembling, he belted her in one handed and addressed the pilot.

"Major Healy, This is my wife Christine. She wonders if your contraption is safe."

"Pleasure to meet you Ma'am. Please take a seat and I'll explain why this is the safest…

-o-

Christine could not believe it, Erik had literally brought out the army to stop her from leaving him. Well… at least eight soldiers in tan berets guarded them, as they sped towards a massive helicopter.

She had never been in a helicopter and felt a tremor begin to knot her center. She didn't want to, especially with things between them as they were, but she grabbed on to Erik's hand― hard. Erik belted her in and introduced her to Major Healy, the pilot. The Major, began by explaining every feature that made the helicopter safe. There was a thunderous sound around them, as they flew straight up into the air. She gasped, but the Major continued his detailed analysis of the helicopters safety features. Christine leaned forward to try to catch what Major Healy was saying and held on to Erik's hand. She did not understood the names of the parts Major Healy mentioned and he confused her further when he pointed to different lit buttons in front of him, but he sounded like he knew what he was talking about. Then, Major Healy gave her a rundown of his credentials, including all the places in the world he had flown to. She was very impressed. It surprised Christine when the helicopter landed with a light thud. The ride was over and she had held Erik's hand all the way back to the park in their town.

Erik helped her off. The soldiers, including the pilot saluted Erik and he let her hand go and saluted them back. She smiled and waved. The helicopter propeller gyrated making dirt fly all around them. In an instant, it was hovering above them. Christine looked back, but it was lost amongst the clouds before they reached Erik's car.

Had Raoul or Mrs. Williams told him that she had nearly let him die?

They arrived at their building and just before Erik turned the car off, twisted in his seat and faced her. "Raoul wants to marry Sofia." His eyes scrutinized her face.

"I know, that's why he was crying in my arms on Christmas Eve. He doesn't think he measures up. I convinced him to try."

"I confess I was jealous when I accused you of something that was far from… reality… I couldn't see reality. I everyone's holidays. Let's go home now and not talk about it again." He walked around the car and opened her door. No, he had not been told.

They walked into their apartment in silence.

"Erik, I have something to confess to you."

"No more confessions for today. I don't care what you've done. I don't want to know. You're here with me… even if it wasn't your choice."

"I did not put up a fuss at the airport."

"I think you were too shocked."

"Were those Rangers?"

"Yes. I see. You went through so much trouble to get me… I'm glad you did. I'm glad to be home."

"I'm pleased to know you're alright with my bringing you home. I'll make us tea?"

"But, you need to know something…"

"I don't. I don't need to know anything else.

"Erik…"

"After tea. Please let me have a cup of tea." His shoulders drooped.

"I'm sorry Erik. You just came out of the hospital… how selfish I am. I will be the one to make us tea."

She pushed him down into his chair and escaped to the kitchen. Erik looked tired.

What she was doing was inexcusable. She would wait and tell him her sin another day. And if he found out earlier and wanted her away from him then she would deal with it. Meanwhile, she would concentrate on getting Erik to relax and feel content. When they went to bed she would insist he take his mask off. Her reaction, she was sure would be different if the awful face she had seen was animated ― his eyes looking at her with love.

Christine brought out a steaming pot of tea.

They had their tea in silence.

"I thought about it and I am not being fair. I had my say, now it's your turn. What is it that you want to tell me?"

"I thought it through as well and it can wait."

Erik's eyes brightened and he shook his head.

"Yes, it can," he said and smiled at her.

Let it Snow 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin


	10. Chapter 10

**Let it Snow** ©

By Phantasmarose

Disclaimer: I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own.

Chapter 10

After a quick evening meal they mulled over a few business issues about the music school then Erik retired to his old bedroom, the room they now referred to as the music room, sat at his piano, and composed. There was nothing unusual about that, however, that night Erik slept on the guest couch and never went to their bed.

Christine should have said something, the first night he stayed away from her, but she didn't and now, a week later, it had become a norm. They spent the evening together talking about none personal issues, then Christine would go to sleep in their bedroom and Erik would go to the music room, play the piano and eventually fall asleep on the coach there. On Sunday morning, when she went to get dressed for church, she realized that he had removed all his clothing from the closet and transferred it to the music room. She decided to confront him.

"Erik, why are you not sleeping in our bedroom?"

"The new pills the doctor gave me give me insomnia. I need to pace until I drop. It's just for a while."

"It won't bother me. You know I sleep like a log."

"I don't want to wake you up with my odd hours."

"But you even removed your clothing."

"I didn't want to walk in and wake you up when I get dressed. It's nothing. Once my body is used to the pills, I'm sure my sleep cycle will normalize."

She noticed he didn't add that when that happened, he would go back to their bedroom.

Two years into the marriage and she was going to have to seduce her husband back into her bed.

-o-

It was a sacrifice not to wake up next to Christine every morning as he had done for the past two years. A worthwhile sacrifice if he could have breakfast with her and share a few hours with her during the evening.

It was a miracle that she had returned home with him ― although he had not given her a choice about that ― and agreed to live with him again.

Yesterday morning, he had cooked them a substantial breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast. Christine ate everything. She thanked him for the meal and when he turned his face up to deny the need for thanks she placed her mouth over his and gave him a lovely kiss. Less than five minutes later, the sound of her throwing up her breakfast into the toilet bowl reverberated throughout the apartment. He sighed ― she remembered what was under the mask. Christine emerged looking pale, went to her bedroom and closed the door. He wanted to take her into his arms, but thought that it would remind her of what had just made her sick. After a while he peeked into the bedroom. Her eyes were closed, both arms wrapped about her middle.

-o-

Christine sat all morning long thinking of ways to seduce Erik back to her bed. She could wear something sexy ― none of the clothing she owned could be considered sexy. Most of her wardrobe consisted of long loose sweaters and jeans. She owned no negligées since they both slept in their skin, wrapped around each other. Perhaps she could pout and batt her eyes at him, or she could try to deepen her voice and sound sultry. Actually, she realized, Erik had always liked her just as she was.

Christine went into the kitchen and started to cook.

-o-

Erik had spent a lifetime feeling frustrated, now that he had had a wife for two years his needs had increased and he was used to fulfilling that need regularly. But, she had seen his face and it made her sick just to kiss him. He turned over and pressed his face into his pillow and cried. He cried at nature's injustice at giving him an ugly face in a world that exulted beauty. He cried at the injustice that even his God given face had been preferable to what he had left after being tortured. He should let her go, but he knew that he could not. Even if he had to spend the rest of his life looking at her from across a room, without the ability to love her fully, he would take that over a complete loss of Christine.

Erik jumped off the bed, and pounded his frustration on the piano keys.

-o-

Erik had eaten two full plates of her Swedish meatballs with buttered noodles. He had even placed two roasted broccoli flowerets on his plate without turning down his mouth. Less than two weeks ago, they would have coddled on the sofa at the end of a meal, but today he sat at the other end of the sofa watching her knit. It was a victory that he had not gone back to his music room and composed.

It was time to get rid of the first elephant.

"You were composing last night?

"Yes."

"It sounded very sad."

"Perhaps I am not an upbeat person," he said with a down turn to his mouth.

She wanted to put down her knitting, but it gave her courage to do something useful with her hands.

"I told you the other day I had a confession to make…"

"We do not need to talk about that…"

"I need to talk about it and I need for you to listen."

"You're not paying attention to your knitting. Look at how tiny your sweater turned out. Who could possibly fit in that?"

His eyes rose up to hers.

She did not say a word. She simply smiled.

Erik's eyes gazed back at her, then his eyes travelled back to the tiny sweater. Back and forth his eyes travelled, finally landing on her middle.

"You're…" he said. He held her eyes.

She nodded.

"You're…"

"Yes."

"Have you seen a doctor? Have you…"

"I'm fine Erik. Are you happy?" She had expected a hug a kiss. He had not moved from where he sat.

"How could I not be? I'm just shocked. You should have given me a hint."

"Really Erik?"

"Ah… yes… the game… the cradle. Mrs. Williams was right. I can be dense."

She laughed.

"That sweater… it looks awfully small."

"They start out like that."

"Of course… um… Do you need anything?" He jumped off the sofa. "Can I bring you a drink? Oh, I'll raise your feet. I've seen that. You should seat with your feet elevated."

"I'm fine." He sat down next to her with a plop looking lost. "I just need one thing."

"What is it? I'll get it." He started to rise from his seat again.

She placed a hand on his knee. He looked down on it and swallowed. He felt it too. They had not touched much lately.

"I need you to take your mask off."

He removed his hand. "No." He set his mouth in a firm line. "Why would you want that? Who knows what that sight might do to the… the baby."

If their marriage was to be saved, it was now or never. "That is all I want from you. When you can give it to me, let me know."

"You think you have me so wrapped around your little finger that I would cut my own throat?" he snarled.

Christine did not say another word or look his way. She picked up her knitting left Erik standing in the middle of the sitting room and removed herself to her bedroom.

She heard the door to the music room bang, then heard him brutalizing his piano. An eerie silence followed by a knock at their bedroom door.

"This is our bedroom. Why do you knock?" she said from the bed.

He came in, his eyes blazing. "Don't blame me if things don't go well. This is a crazy idea. I hope it wasn't Shady who put it there."

"Come sit next to me on the bed and remove that mask."

"Why."

"I don't want anything to stand between us, not even cloth."

He walked slowly toward her and bent his legs even slower until he was sitting on the bed. He shook his head, opened his mouth and closed it.

"My nose… it's gone."

"I know… I noticed when I took your mask off."

"Were you horrified?"

 _I have to be honest. This is not the time for euphemisms._ "Yes."

"Then why go through it again. It's not better."

"Take off your mask Erik, I need to see _you_ again."

"Fine! I will show myself to you. After all, I live, but to attend to your wishes," he said gruffly. Erik grabbed the mask from under his chin and lifted it off his face in one swift movement.

"Here, enjoy ogling at the living monster. I expose my soul to you. You won't need a knife or gun. A mere word from you will do the job."

Let it Snow 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin


	11. Chapter 11

**Let it Snow** ©

By Phantasmarose

Disclaimer: I do not own or lay claim to the characters Erik, Christine, or Raoul. I do not own or lay claim to the original story of the Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This version of that story is my own. Aside from Leroux's original characters, I have created my own.

Chapter 11

Epilogue

Christine was glad his eyes were averted because her eyebrows shot up and she could not find any saliva in her mouth to swallow. His face was awful. It looked even worse that she remembered. Her stomach somersaulted, but she managed to draw in a carefully silent breath. Christine wanted to utter words of comfort, but no words came to her, none at all. Perhaps he had been right. He could continue to wear his mask and they could go on, as they had done for the past two years. She knew he would agree ― it could work. Then Erik raised his eyes to hers. There was such sorrow and wretchedness in the depth of those eyes that it brought tears to her eyes. He blinked and quirked his mouth in that special way he had that said _I told you so_. He had been rejected so many times, because he wasn't good looking that he expected heartbreak every time someone looked at him. She was his first love. And he was her first true love.

"I love you." Slipped from her lips. "I love you Erik."

She slid closer to him and kissed him in the mouth. He did not respond. No more elephants. No secrets.

"Thank God we had Mrs. Williams directing us. She was an emergency room nurse and kept her cool. She told Raoul how to pump your chest and told me to take your mask off and blow into your mouth. When I first took your mask off I was shocked. I did not want to touch you. I wanted to run away."

"Of course."

"I was, am, so ashamed of my reaction that I felt I didn't deserve to be with you."

"You shouldn't feel bad. It's a normal reaction. Human beings do not like to look at monsters. I don't."

You are not a monster."

"You're a saint to have touched me with your lips," he told her.

"I am no saint. I nearly let you die, because of your face. I love you and I nearly let you die." She dug her nails into her palms thinking of the horror of her words.

"But you didn't, you gave me your breath. Not everyone could do that."

"I did so only after Mrs. Williams reminded that if I didn't give you air, I would lose you. Can you forgive me?"

"It was a normal reaction and well, I'm alive and the mess on top of my shoulders is there for good. You're kind enough to accept me. I don't mind wearing a mask if you can try not to think of what's under it."

"I love you Erik. Yes, I admit your face is… awful, but I am not used to seeing it. It will be nothing when I see it all the time… That is my problem to conquer, not yours."

He shook his head.

"Yes, that's the way it must be. You can wear that mask to shield you from the world, but I won't let you hide from me. There will be no barriers between us."

She kissed him again and felt his trembling lips move against hers. He collapsed in her arms in tears and she held him tightly to her. The elephants were all gone. It was time to clear the mice out too.

"Erik? When we met… I wasn't a virgin." He stiffened in her arms. "I had been Brent's lover. It started out as a business relationship, but I guess living together…"

"Anyway, you never told me you were… a virgin, that it."

"No, but I think you wanted to believe that I was so very innocent. I didn't want to destroy your image of me."

"It's not surprising. I mean, you were living together and he is a very good looking fellow."

"He's also a nice guy. Although for a while I though he wasn't."

"He told me he had been your lover before I made him move out."

"Wait, you what?"

"I knocked him unconscious. Would have killed him except that Mrs. Williams was eavesdropping as usual. She called out to me and snapped me out of it."

"I'm glad she did. So Brent told you."

"Yes."

"You never said. Did you care?"

"Not at all. I just hated for him to have something he could throw in my face." Erik felt as stiff as a rock in her arms. "Any feelings left for him?"

"Didn't have many to begin with."

"Last week when you went to him… did you make love to him?"

It almost made her laugh. When she had stood at Brent's door to ask for his help, that was the last thing she would have been capable of doing.

"You shouldn't have had to ask, but my actions would lead you to this question. No Erik, I don't want to be touched by another man that is not you."

"Did you want to?"

"No Erik, not even a little bit."

"He still wants you."

"I know. He made that clear."

"I guess you made yourself clear too. He was the one to tell me where I could find you."

"Told you he's not a bad guy."

He smiled. His shiny melted skin glowed. It wasn't pretty ― it was Erik. Oh yes, she loved him.

"It's been over a week." She told him.

"Nine days and seventeen hours."

"Then we have to hurry, before it turns to ten days."

"Are you sure? I could wear…"

"Not with me. Never again."

"Christine, you're not used to it yet. Maybe we should go slowly… remember the baby."

"Will my husband not tend to my needs?"

"You think you have me wrapped around your little finger don't you?"

She kissed him and this time he responded fully taking her breath away with the intense passion behind his kiss.

-o-

They had spent the night alternating between talking, making love and snoozing.

After breakfast ― Christine had dry toast and tea, Erik kept the bacon and eggs away from her ― Christine opened the front door to take their garbage out to the incinerator. Mrs. Williams stood on their door step, hand raised to knock.

"Mmm. Good thing you decided to take that rag off your face. It is not appealing to speak to someone hiding behind a bit of cloth. "

Erik was so shocked to see her standing there, he stayed rooted to the spot.

Mrs. Williams joined him at the table. And poured herself a cup of coffee. "Stop gawking at me .Yes, that is the same face I saw that day, nothing new there… except you don't have the foolish look you had that day."

"What do you mean?" he asked feeling offended. One thing was to be ugly …but foolish?

"You were drooling."

"I was not drooling." On top of everything else, he had drooled, on Christine?

"Christine is a good woman to have kept the most embarrassing parts of the event from you."

Drooling like an idiot? That would be the ultimate indignity.

"Christine, did I …?"

"No you did not. Really, Mrs. Williams, you mustn't tease him so."

Mrs. Williams sat back and sipped her coffee. A wide grin spread over her face.

"You're not eating this are you?" Mrs. Williams said taking his last piece of toast from his plate and biting into it.

"I guess not," he retorted.

Mrs. Williams was teasing him about looking stupid. In fact, she was teasing him about his face. Before the acid burns when he still had a human face, people had always shied away from looking at him, because he was ugly. No one ever talked or joked about it. How could his old neighbor be so nonchalant about his face?

"So, about my new chair…" Mrs. Williams started.

"I'll take it over to your apartment before the end of the week."

"You will not! That huge chair? No, it will not do. It would spoil my décor."

"Then you don't want it?" Erik asked hopefully.

"I would not hurt your feelings by giving it back. It was your Christmas gift to me… unless you're going back on your gift?" Mrs. Williams asked raising her eyebrow.

Christine looked at him expectantly. Erik capitulated. "I'm not,"

Mrs. Williams grinned triumphantly. "I'll just leave it here, until I decorate differently."

"I'm sure you won't mind my using it occasionally," Erik added sarcastically.

"Use it as much as you want dear, just be careful not to break it, I have grown used to those little fingers running up and down my back. It's almost decadent. But if you break it you to replace it."

Christine laughed. Mrs. Williams laughed and since the world about him had suddenly gone wonderfully mad, Erik laughed as well.

-o-

Two years later

Erik walked into their apartment after a full day of work at his music school. Christine had gone on to a doctor's appointment and he had brought his son home. It was a privilege he relished. They kept their one year old child at school with them all day. Erik held his son snuggly in his arms. The perfect little face looked past his shoulder, not caring about anything Erik had to say. Erik did not wonder that the boy's first word had been "No." Erik removed his mask and threw it down on a small table. He sat his son in his high chair and placed an iced sucker in the boy's hand and his favorite truck in front of him. The chubby hand wrapped around it the iced sucker and in a moment he was sucking hard on it. Sounds of brrrr… brrr… followed. Erik parked himself on the Konishikana 6000 and let the chair massage work the kinks out of his back. His son would grow up knowing exactly what his father looked like. Unless they had guests, Erik never wore his mask at home. He thought of the wonder that was his wife. The massage balls travelled along his spine to the base of his temple. Erik sighed.

It was close to the Christmas season again. And although she had grown frail, they were lucky to still have Mrs. Williams with them. Shortly the fourth of July, she fell at home and injured her ankle. When Erik contacted her son, the man immediately began taking steps to have her placed in a home for the aged. He never offered to come see her. Erik was enraged by the man's callous behavior. Mrs. Williams refused Erik's offer to pay for a companion to stay with her during the day. He had a second idea. Erik gave his senior students the opportunity to earn some of their community service credits by keeping Mrs. Williams company for one to two hours a day. His students loved it. They practiced their music by playing for her. It was Erik's believe, that until his students felt and practiced compassion, love would not be reflected in their music.

Mrs. Williams was no longer able to cook a full dinner for herself, so she ate with Erik and Christine every evening. Their son liked to have his chair placed by Gamma as he called their neighbor. Mrs. Williams delighted, that Erik included her in the tiny group of people, which he allowed to see him without his mask. Erik programmed her preferences into the chair and Mrs. Williams allowed herself a twenty minute massage every day before dinner. She claimed that it helped her digestion. Erik hoped the manufacturer's claims on longevity were true.

In a few months all four of them would attend Raul and Sofia's wedding. Christine and Sofia had become good friends and the couple often joined them. Just last month Sofia had confided in Christine.

"I find it sweet that Raoul tries so hard to learn some of my language. That was a big point in his favor. Do you think he snores?"

Christine had kept a straight face and later shared with Erik that Raoul snored "Like a porker. His chest even rumbles." Erik hated that Christine knew an intimate detail like that, but he understood that Raoul had kept her warm and safe.

Erik wasn't sure if Raoul and Sofia made a good match, but what did he know about that sort of thing? Raoul in love, was showing more common sense, than Raoul the player. Maybe he could trust him a little more now. "Joe, your boy is finally growing up ― I hope."

Erik heard the key in the door. The Konishikana 6000 had his legs trapped between two pulsating air-cushions. Christine strolled in, threw her handbag down on top of his mask and bent over him. She held his face between her two hands and brought her face down to his level. She kissed his forehead, cheeks and finally placed a passionate kiss on his lips.

"It's confirmed. We're going to have another baby."

"Thank you for not giving me hints."

"I learned my lesson from last time. No riddles, no puzzles."

Erik grinned. He no longer felt self-conscious, although he knew he looked ugliest when he grinned.

"Her doctor wants Mrs. Williams to add a new pill to her regiment. Otherwise she is fine. She's good to go for another year, so be careful with her chair." And that was another blessing.

 **The End**

Thank you to all of you who read the story. May you have a wonderful year.

To read some of my other stories, or to stay in touch with me go to my website at **.com**

 **Let it Snow 2016 copyrights belong to Caridad Martin**


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